The owner of a spit roast catering company who won the right to ask an employee to cover up her tattoo is backing Air New Zealand's decision not to hire a woman sporting a traditional ta moko on her lower arm.

Passengers on an Air NZ flight in Christchurch were forced to leave the plane shortly after boarding after they were exposed to fumes from de-icing.

Claire Nathan, the woman who was barred by Air NZ from working as an air hostess because of a ta moko on her forearm, says she no longer wants to work for the airline.

Editorial: Nobody outside Air New Zealand is in a position to question its commercial judgment. Critics do not depend for their salaries on the airline's success.

Prime Minister John Key says he is surprised by Air New Zealand's refusal to hire a woman with a traditional Maori tattoo.

Claire Nathan says she had her dreams of being an air hostess dashed after Air New Zealand turned her away because of her ta moko.

Travellers are likely to be hit with an increase in air fares following a hike in air traffic control levies, a group representing major airlines says.

I lost my receipt after paying my annual Koru Club membership and asked Air New Zealand for another copy. They were going to charge me $15.

An Air New Zealand flight from Wellington to Auckland had to return to Wellington shortly after take-off, after the pilot noticed a crack in the cockpit window.

The Commerce Commission is sticking to its guns in the long-running air cargo cartel case against Air NZ, which yesterday renewed its bid to have the case dropped.

Air New Zealand is calling on the Commerce Commission to end its long-running cargo price-fixing action - on the eve of a key hearing in the case.

The Commerce Commission says it cannot comment on whether it has reached any resolution in its long-running air cargo proceedings against Air New Zealand.

Editorial: When the Government confirmed its mixed-ownership model strategy, it was taken for granted that Air New Zealand would be the tail-end Charlie.

Air New Zealand has been ordered to pay more than $13,000 in legal costs to an employee who was overpaid $70,000.

Editorial: All airlines should dwell on Judge Phillips' concerns about the pressure on pilots. Safety rules are not there to be bent at a whim. Trust in airline pilots will soon dwindle if they are.

Air New Zealand has announced it will be getting rid of standby fares and says the move is driven by customer demand.

Passengers on board remained blissfully unaware as emergency services rushed to the runway at Auckland International Airport after a Thai Airways flight blew a tyre.

A consumer watchdog has called Air New Zealand credit card surcharges draconian - but how much you pay depends on where you book your tickets.